It’s the most fashionable way to entertain this holiday season. It’s chic, it’s fun and much easier than you think.

To show you how, we checked in with Lauren Mote and Jonathan Chovancek. She’s an award-winning, internationally recognized bartender; he’s a dynamic chef best known for his role on the CBC TV show Village on a Diet. Together they run a Vancouver-based catering company called Kale + Nori Culinary Arts (www.kaleandnori.com).

And one thing’s for sure: they really know their way around a cocktail party.

“It’s more social and it’s far less expensive to have a standup party than a multi-course sit-down dinner,” says Mote.

“It’s more fun and more cost-effective, and you don’t have to have 12 sets of matching everything.”

Here’s how to do it right.

1. Pick your theme.

Mote and Chovancek love organizing cocktail and food-focused parties with elaborate themes that can be inspired by a person, place or thing, or even a moment in time.

“Just because it’s a Christmas party doesn’t mean it can’t be Christmas in Morocco or Christmas in Kyoto,” says Chovancek.

“It’s just getting out of the whole Christmas box of holiday entertaining.”

2. Obey the law.

If you decide to hold your party anywhere other than your home, and if you will be serving alcohol, you will need to get a special occasion licence. In addition, everyone who is likely to serve liquor must be certified under the provincial program Serving it Right.

Note that, by law, a caterer may not buy liquor for the party, nor may they purchase the special-events licence. They can, however, offer advice on both.

3. Hire some help.

Doing it all yourself may seem like a good idea, but it really isn’t. After all, the host shouldn’t be spending the night in the kitchen stressing about the mini-quiches.

“The host of the party should be part of the party,” Mote says. “People think hiring a caterer is a luxury. It’s not.”

Caterers not only bring over plates of canapés, they take care of planning, setup and cleanup. They also serve the food and drink, and keep an eye on guests who may be likely to overindulge. As Mote says, “We take care of all the stuff you didn’t think about.”

If you insist on doing it all yourself, at the very least hire a bartender for any event with more than 10 guests.

4. Set the pace.

A cocktail and hors d’oeuvres party shouldn’t last longer than three hours, so be sure to set a specific start and finish time. Also, Chovancek says, “If you’re replacing dinner, it’s important to have an arc to the event.”

He suggests starting with lighter, brighter fare, then following that with heavier, more complex nibblies. After that, integrate a cheese element and some sweets. And if the party goes late, finish with a rich, carb-heavy snack, such as sliders or poutine.

5. Set the mood.

Sure, you can go all out on fancy decorations and live entertainment, but Chovancek has a better idea. Why not keep costs down by using the food and drink as theme pieces instead?

“It’s not about having a lot of decor,” he says. “A simple iPod soundtrack and a couple of lighting pieces are all you really need.”

6. Stock the bar.

If you are going to serve serious cocktails, you will need all the proper bartending tools as well as the appropriate glassware, a basic range of spirits, mixers, syrups, bitters and garnish. You will also need beer, red and white wine, possibly sparkling wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. And don’t forget to have a good cocktail recipe book on hand.

In general, for a two-hour party, plan to serve three drinks per person. Note that one bottle of wine equals approximately five drinks and a bottle of spirits about 17.

7. Serve some drinks.

Depending on the kind of event you’re holding, you can offer one or two themed cocktails or you can throw the bar wide open. But the easiest cocktail to serve is a punch, which you can serve from a pitcher or carafe if you don’t have a punch bowl.

As Mote notes, “We’ve done events lots of times where they don’t want cocktails, but they always want punch.”

And with stricter drunk-driving laws as well as the trend to health and wellness, be sure to offer non-alcoholic options, preferably something a bit more interesting than just a cranberry and soda.

8. Feed your guests.

Unless you’re hiring a caterer, forget the fiddly canapés.

“With food, a good way to go is to buy some great charcuterie, some cheese, olives, marinated artichokes and bread,” Chovancek says. “You can never have enough bread at a cocktail party.”

Setting up food stations is also a good idea — it keeps the movement flowing and makes sure there is always something edible within easy reach of your guests. For instance, Chovancek likes to offer a “crunch station” with crispy dehydrated veggies such as turnip, kale, carrots and parsnips flavoured with different seasoning spices and served with dip.

“It’s a lot more fun than popcorn and nuts,” he says.

9. Wrap things up.

Have some sort of exit strategy to signal that the party has come to an end. Perhaps your server can walk around with a pot of coffee or a tray of water, or perhaps you can offer takeout containers of poutine for the road. This is where a caterer can really help, both in making sure guests aren’t over served, and in gently encouraging them to move on.

10. Make sure everyone gets home safe.

If you can, offer prepaid taxi chits or use the services of a designated driver service such as Vancouver’s A Safe Alternative. And in a pinch, be prepared to let any inebriated guests stay the night. After all, you’ll want to see them come back and raise a glass next year, too.

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